Israeli zoo uses acupuncture on sick tiger
以色列動物園用針灸治病虎

Veterinarians check the ear of Sumatran tiger Pedang at the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv, Israel on June 9.獸醫們六月九日在以色列特拉維夫附近的拉馬特甘動物中心，正為蘇門達臘虎「潘當」檢查耳朵。

Photos: EPA照片：歐新社

Veterinarians are trying acupuncture to cure a Sumatran tiger at an Israeli zoo.

The 14-year-old tiger, named Pedang, suffers from a chronic ear infection. On June 9, a holistic medicine professional tried acupuncture on him, pricking him with several pink needles in his ear and at other points of his body. The tiger was sedated during the treatment.

The Zoological Center of Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan said this was the first time it has used Chinese medicine on an animal. The zoo said other conventional treatments, like antibiotics, failed to cure the infection, which has lasted more than a year.

Mor Mosinzon, who treated Pedang, said the acupuncture was meant to strengthen his immune system and open his ear canals so that his body can better absorb the antibiotics.